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Media Buyers face an uphill battle every day. The pressure
associated with planning and buying media can be a daunting
task. Add the fact that there are more marketing vehicles
today than ever before with advertising now integrated into
nearly every object or device we can see or touch. The job of a
media buyer is more important and complex than ever.

What I find amazing is that with the onslaught of fragmentation,
the growing skepticism among millennials and the added demands
placed on agencies by their clients to help them navigate these
uncharted waters, buyers are still expected to do more with less
and at break neck speed, even when they are strapped for
resources.

I was shocked to learn that an increasing number of RFPs we
receive are for marketing programs that must be executed in the
same month or, even in the same week that the request is
received. The growth of programmatic, buying where agencies and
their trading desks can react and buy media instantly based on
audience data and performance factors, is a likely contributor to
this change in planning strategy. But I feel this points to
a much bigger issue at play.

The digital age -- where everyone is always on, always connected
and always distracted has started to create an epidemic that is
slowly taking over and has the potential to kill us.Very few in
our industry are given the chance to stop, step back,
strategically evaluate what a client needs, and then plan
appropriately. Instead we react, jump to conclusions and spin our
wheels hoping that the reams of data will hide the
inefficiencies.

This reactionary approach is bad for everyone. Publishers and
media sellers should be working more strategically with buyers to
aid in the planning process. Everyone involved should make it top
priority to help determine the best environment for the client’s
message and ensure alignment of audience, creative and
context/environment. Agencies and their clients should think
more about the creative and allow that to lead more of the media
choices.

We are in a very unique and exciting place where we have near
instant access to media, the ability to integrate messaging
within very appropriate environments and the power to create
highly engaging and interactive creative executions tailored
specifically for the consumer within context. Let's stop the
reaction and cure the disease not just the symptoms. When we
take the time to step back and think for our clients, we can
provide the most outstanding and integrated programs for them
that will wow consumers once again. What do you think?

The views expressed here reflect the views of the author
alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of24/7
Media, its affiliates, subsidiaries or its parent
company, WPP plc.